Lack of training proved costly for champions Gor Mahia as they lost 1-0 to surrender their 2019-2020 Kenyan Premier League unbeaten run to Mathare United yesterday at the Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos.
The ‘Slum Boys’ who are also unbeaten, netted in the dying minutes of the game through Daniel Otieno to pile more miseries on the financially struggling Gor who were tossed out of the Caf Confederations Cup by DC Motema Pembe.
Coach Steven Polack rued the preparations for the encounter, revealing that the team had not trained since their return from DR Congo on Monday.
He, however, allayed fears that the trend will spell doom to their hopes of piping their traditional rivals AFC Leopards this weekend.
“Honestly the preparations to the game were not the best. The team has not trained since coming from Congo and the ramifications were there for all to see. There are internal issues which are beyond my control and as a professional, we will solve them from within,” he said.
Polack made six changes to the squad which confronted Motema Pembe last weekend, notably the inclusion of budding left-back and debutant Lloyd Khavuchi.
The fast-rising player was elevated from the youth’s team at the start of the season and earned his first competitive match in the senior team yesterday.
Burly defensive midfielder Ernest Wendo and Joachim Oluoch made their first league start coming in for Tobias Otieno and Wellington Ochieng respectively. Charles Momanyi, Francis Afriyie and Clifton Miheso returned to the first team after missing the trip to Congo.
Mathare showed early signs of breaching Gor’s defence but the latter will have David Mapigano to thank as his fine saves kept the score-line at 0-0 at half time.
The Tanzanian shot-stopper denied Kevin Kimani and James Kinyajui in the opening minutes of the game and his reflexes worked against Clifford Alwanga and John Mwangi’s bids to break the deadlock. Polack was forced to make his first change after the break, introducing Otieno for Lawrence Juma who seemed to have picked a knock.
Mathare continued to dominate proceedings and their impetus gained more steam after Otieno came in for a weary Mwangi.
Otieno, a former Sony Sugar attacker, justified his inclusion in the 89th minute when he raised high to nod in Kimani’s corner kick, a goal which proved the difference between the two sides.
